Local News

West Carson Back Open After Water Main Break

April 26, 2011 / 8:09 PM EDT / CBS Pittsburgh

WEST END (KDKA) – West Carson street is back open after a water main break overnight.

According to officials, the break happened around 3:30 a.m. on West Carson Street under the West End Bridge.

Initially, crews believed they could get a handle on the situation very quickly and that only one lane of the road would need to be closed.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority crews looked for the valve to turn off the water, only to find it was that exact valve that had broken off.

Water was still bubbling out of a manhole cover at 6 a.m. and West Carson Street was closed from Corliss Street to the West End Bridge.

By 7 a.m. the break had been brought under control and water had receded off the roadway.

After the water receded, all that was left was a cracked road, which buckled from the water pressure which has now been repaired.

Morning commuters had to be detoured, which led to a major back-up on Steuben Street.

"It's been rough. I've been in traffic for about an hour, trying to get to school by nine o'clock," Eric Wells said.

The line runs from underneath the West End Bridge to the 1500-block of Carson Street.

Luckily, no one initially lost water because of the break.